8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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Roland Edward Nairn Jr
Military
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Staff Sergeant Roland E. "Lefty" Nairn, a togglier and gunner of the 95th Bomb Group at Horham. 17 March 1945. Nairn has written on reverse in a note to Freeman: 'R.E. "Lefty" Nairn.Togglier/ Nose Gunner 336 Sg - 95th BG 13 Wing - 8AF HORHAM, Eng. Taken on, 17 Mar 45, After returning from raid near Berlin, Germany. Roger-The frown on my face can be explained by the fact that I was just back from the above mission. 4 days later my career as a 95 Bg "Uniform[?] Renewal Specialist" was ended when it was hit by flak just prior to bomb release over Handorf, Germany on 21 Mar 45. Don't ask me how but I managed to regain my position+ drop my bomb load at the proper time. I spent 10 months in a military hospital + recieved a DFC.'
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A dedication ceremony for a 95th Bomb Group memorial at Horham. Image by Roland E "Lefty" Nairn of the 95th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Memorial Dedication 95BG - Horham. 19 Sept 81. Dave Johnson, FOTE and Comm Cf. Col. Aaron P. Morgan, USAF Base Cmdr, Bentwaters, England. Frederick Vogel, V/Consul, US Embassy, London. Name Unknown, Chaplain, USAF. Taken by R.E. "Lefty" Nairn, 95 BG returnee. '
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Veterans of the 95th Bomb Group with the memorial at Horham. Image by Roland E "Lefty" Nairn of the 95th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '19 Sept 81. Horham, England. 95 BG Memorial Dedication with 95BG returnees. Roger - if you would like an enlargement of any of these pictures I could send them again. Lefty N. L-R: 1: John Miller - Pilot - 412th. 2: Unknown. 3: Dave McKnight - Pilot + Sqdn Cmdr. 4: Unknown - Mechanic. 5: Earl Underwood - Tail Gunner 334 Sqdn. 6: Ed Charles - Navigator? - 336 Sqdn. 7: Doc Steve - Bombardier? 8: Unknown. 9: R.E. "Lefty" Nairn - Togglier-Gunner - 336 Sqdn. 10: Zach Stanborough - Pilot - 412 Sqdn. 11: Art Frankel - Ordnance Officer - 95th BG. 12: Bot Kopke - Radio Operator + Gunner - 335/336 Sqdn. 13: Al Brown - Pilot - ?'
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A memorial to the 95th Bomb Group at Horham. Image by Roland E "Lefty" Nairn of the 95th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '19 Sept 81. 95BG Memorial Dedication, Horham, Eng[land]. By: R.E. "Lefty" Nairn, 95th BG returnee.'
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A fete celebrating the dedication of the 95th Bomb Group's memorial, near Horham church, 19 September 1981. Image by Roland E "Lefty" Nairn of the 95th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '19 Sept 81. 95BG Memorial Dedication fete taken from across road at Horham church. R.E. "Lefty" Nairn.'
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Roland E. "Lefty" Nairn, a veteran of the 336th Bomb Squadron, 95th Bomb Group with the village sign at Horham, 1981. Handwritten caption on reverse: '19 Sept 81, Horham Village, England (after 36 tough winters). R.E. "Lefty" Nairn, former Togglier/Gunner, 336 Sqdn, 95BG, 13 Wing, 8 A.F. 95BG Memorial Dedication Returnee.'
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A plaque at Thorpe Abbotts, home of the 100th Bomb Group, dedicated to the 13th Combat Wing. Image by Roland E "Lefty" Nairn of the 95th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'The 100th BG Control Tower plaque, Thorpe Abbotts, Eng. I took this just prior to leaving the Horham area. Unfortunately 2 shots of the restored tower were lost when I unfortunately removed my film from my tired old 35mm Pentex camera. Lefty. P.S. We frequently flew with the 100th Bomb Group since they and the 390BG made up the 13th Wing..'
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B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 95th Bomb Group fly in formation during a mission. Image by Roland E "Lefty" Nairn of the 95th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '95th. Mar 45. I took this shot during combat mission from my position in nose as togglier-gunner.'
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Veterans, family members and local residents of Horham gather at Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Maddingley, for a dedication service personnel of the 95th Bomb Group who died on active service during the Second World War. September 1981. Image by Roland E "Lefty" Nairn of the 95th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '20/22 Sept '81(?). Roger - I took this shot of the 95th BG memorial dedication service at Cambridge cemetery. Attending were all of the 95 BG returnees from the USA and war couples and also many Horham area Friends of the Eighth. Is that you the left near by the 3rd column (from the left) of the [illegibler] in the background? R.E. "Lefty" Nairn, 336 Sqdn, 95BG Returner.'
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A wreath for personnel of the 95th Bomb Group at Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Madingley September 1981. Image by Roland E "Lefty" Nairn of the 95th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '95BG memorial wreath, Cambridge Cemetery, approx. 21 Sept 1981.'
Assigned to 336BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. Staff Sergeant Roland Nairn flew as a togglier in B-17 bomber crews of the 95th Bomb Group. The job of the togglier was to arm and release the bombs over the intended target on each mission.
Whilst flying his 10th mission, over Handorf, on 21-Mar-45, Nairn was hit by flak, wounding his left arm. Despite his injury, he regained his post and released his bombs at the correct time. He received the Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart, a medal awarded to those wounded in service. As Nairn was left-handed he felt that the ‘German Intelligence knew everything!’
He was referred to a US Army hospital in Essex before being sent home in May 1945. He boarded the Hospital Ship USAHS Charles A. Stafford at Liverpool docks for what he called the ‘slow and bumpy ride’ back to the United States.
Awards: DFC, AM, PH, WWII Victory, EAME.
Service
Units served with
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95th Bomb Group
Group
The 95th Bomb Group was the only Eighth Air Force Group to be awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, shared by all four Bomb Wing Groups, was for the bombing of an aircraft factory under intense enemy fire at Regensburg on 17 August... -
336th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
Missions
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8th Air Force 901
21 March 1945
Associated Place
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Horham
Military site : airfield
Horham airfield was planned and built for RAF use, but handed over to the Eighth Air Force and used initially by the 47th Bomb Group. When they joined the Twelfth Air Force in January 1943, it became home to the B-26 Marauders of the 323rd Bomb Group.... -
Liverpool
Military site : non-airfield
A depot for materiel shipped from the United States - known as an 'Intransit Depot'. Exact location unknown.
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Born | Washington, DC | 12 October 1921 |
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Son of Roland E and Frances Juanita Sweeney Nairn. |
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| Enlisted | 17 September 1942 | |
| Based | Horham | 1944 – March 1945 |
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Assigned to 336BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. |
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| Blackmore Park Hospital, near Botesdale, Suffolk | 1945 | |
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Stayed at 65th General Army Hospital at Blackmore Park, Botesdale following injury over Handorf, March 1945. |
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| Discharged USAAF | 19 January 1946 | |
| Died | Silver Spring, MD | 21 April 2004 |
| Buried | Arlington National Cemetery | 5 May 2004 |
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Arlington National Cemetery |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 20 August 2021 16:46:25 | Al_Skiff | Changes to middlename, biography, awards, events, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/540843659 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 October 2014 10:07:03 | Emily | Changes to highest rank, role, biography, awards, events, unit associations, place associations, mission associations and media associations |
| Sources | ||
-Nairn outlined his service in correspondence to Roger Freeman, this is held with the originals of the associated media. Transcriptions of his correspondence can be found in the captions of associated images. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:24:25 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / newspaper & Combat Sup |
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